Pyotr Isayev

Pyotr Semyonovich Isaev (; better known as Petka or Pete; April 20, 1890 – September 5, 1919) was a participant in World War I and the Russian Civil War, assistant to a Red Army commander Vasily Chapayev and commander of the communications battalion.

Thanks to the vivid image of Petka in the film Chapaev, he became the hero of numerous anecdotes about Petka, Vasily Ivanovich and Anka the Machine-Gunner.

Biography Pyotr was born on July 20, 1890, in the village of , , Samara Governorate, Russian Empire. He graduated from the .

In World War I, he was a senior non-commissioned officer of the musician team, after being wounded he returned home.

In the spring of 1918, he organized a detachment in Korneevka to suppress the anti-Bolshevik uprising, then in the village of Semyonovka he first met with Vasily Chapayev. ) on September 5, 1919, in a battle during the , where the headquarters of the 25th rifle division was located.

According to another version, Isaev shot himself a year later after the death of Chapayev, unable to bear the loss of a close friend.

There is a version that he committed suicide a month after the battle, without finding the body of the deceased commander, or died of wounds at his home after leaving the hospital.

In culture For the role of Petka in the film Chapaev, was first invited, but ultimately Leonid Kmit was approved.

Awards For the capture of a White Army spy, Pyotr was awarded a personalized Browning pistol with the inscription "To Pyotr Isaev for courage from the Ural Chekists" . Pyotr was also awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Personal life He was married to Anna Goldyreva. His grand-niece claims that his wife's name was Fima.